Looming Shadows
by MelodyStarrWH
Summary: Two that are opposites yet they mirror will come together to hunt the shadow that threatens all four.
1. Prologue 1: The Beginning

**Disclaimer: So obviously my partner (UltimateKuranQueen) and I do not own warriors. We do however own our OCs. This applies to all the chapters in this series. Thank you! Enjoy StarClan says so :)**

The Beginning

"I need your help please," the cream and dirty white queen mewed desperately. She crossed hesitantly over the tunnel that the water that surrounded the camp flowed through. Her stomach was large with kits and the warriors standing guard immediately rushed to her aid, or so she hoped. Her stomach heaved as she gasped for breath. She had come a long way from her nest already having been thrown out by one group in the pine forest.

"Step aside," an unusually spotted and golden she-cat told the two toms surrounding the queen. "What is your purpose for coming here?"

"Please help me. I have left my housefolk and I have nowhere to go."

"You're a kittypet?" a light gray she-cat with lighter blue eyes asked from behind the spotted she-cat.

"Yes," the queen breathed barely understanding what she meant.

"Leopardstar she is with kits we should help her," the gray cat whispered.

"I believe you're right," she agreed, "Mudfoot escort her to the nursery and make sure one of the apprentices puts fresh moss in there for her."

"Yes Leopardstar," the light brown tom said with an obedient nod of his head. He padded off towards a bush on the opposite side of the camp.

"Thank you so much you've saved mine and my kits lives," the queen smiled.

"What is your name?" Leopardstar asked

"My housefolk called me Sarah," the queen replied.

"Well Sarah you can stay until after your kits are born and healthy enough to travel," Leopardstar said "Mudfoot will make sure you are taken care of."

A moon later Sarah lay in the hollowed thorn bush that made up the medicine cats den heaving as her kits fought to join the world. "You're doing well Sarah," Mothwing, a dapple golden she-cat, said. "Just a few more pushes and it'll be over."

Sarah nodded unable to speak around the stick she was biting on. Mothwing didn't lie, after a couple more strong pushes from Sarah four kits were born into the world one right after the other. Overjoyed Sarah began cleaning them eager to hear their first cries for milk. Only two cries came from the kits. A small cream and dirty white kit with reddish brown stripes and a large red brown tom with dirty white stripes cried their noses wiggling trying to find the source of the smell of milk. "Mothwing something's wrong!" Sarah cried in dismay

Mothwing sniffed closely at the two other kits, one a small cream and white she-cat. The other a slightly larger red brown and dirty white she-cat. Though they were healthy in appearance their mouths never cried for milk or mewed at all, their eyes never opened, and their paws never moved. They had left the world before even coming into it. Mothwing shook her head sadly at Sarah wincing as her mournful cries filled the den. Mothwing left the den giving Sarah a moment alone with her kits.

Soon Leopardstar entered the medicine den having heard about the kits. "I'm very sorry Sarah," she said sympathetically, "I wish it wasn't so."

"It's not your fault," Sarah whispered brokenly, "they just weren't meant to be here with me."

"Did you name them?" Leopardstar asked softly.

"I did, it seems only right that they have proper names. The small cream and white she-cat I've decided to name Smallkit and the red brown and white she-cat Marshkit."

"It seems that StarClan has gotten two beautiful new additions," Leopardstar murmured.

"Leopardstar do you think my kits could be raised here as one of you?" Sarah whispered.

"You will not take them with you?"

"My housefolk would never allow kittens into their nest, that's why I left. If I had to leave my kits anywhere it would be here where they could be raised with others to look over them and hope for a good life even in death."

"The life of a warrior is not easy," Leopardstar warned, "it is filled with many hard times and we have to fight for our survival everyday."

"It wouldn't be any easier for them if they were to be left to fend for themselves outside the safety of a housefolk nest and I am not skilled enough to take care of the all of us without my housefolk's help," Sarah explained.

"You could always stay with them in the clan," Leopardstar offered.

"I love the way of life you have set up here but it is not my place. I am soft and have no hope in learning to fight or in being able to hunt for food."

"Very well if you are sure," Leopardstar sighed somewhat disappointingly, "you can stay until their apprentice ceremony once they've reached their sixth moon."

"Thank you Leopardstar."

"You haven't told me the names of the other two," Leopardstar commented curiosity getting the better of her.

"I think I'll name the tom Bengalkit and the she-cat Breezekit," Sarah said nuzzling the mewing kit.

Leopardstar offered the kits a welcoming smile, "Welcome to RiverClan Bengalkit and Breezekit."

* * *

 _Breezepaw's POV_

"Are you ready Breezekit?" my mother asked taking a brief pause before she continued to ceaselessly groom me. My brother sat in the corner of the bush that made up the nursery already having received his vigorous grooming. I knew she was only trying to make sure we were presentable for the clan leader, Leopardstar, but her grooming made me shake. Or perhaps the slight shake almost shiver I felt had nothing to do with her grooming but the overbearing possibility of my future that loomed over me. Having turned six moons old a couple nights ago my brother and I were now expected to take the first step in becoming warriors. We were about to be assigned someone to watch over us and teach us the ways of the clan until we knew them well enough to take our warrior names and begin protecting the clan even at the cost of our lives. This was our apprentice ceremony and I was nervous.

"Of course I'm ready," I choked not at all fooling my mother. Though she was not clan-born she seemed to understand my nervous. Or maybe it was because she wasn't clan-born that she understood.

"I'm so proud of you my daughter," she mewed softly with a smile upon her cream face, "and of you my son."

"Thank you mother," I whispered back before walking what I hope was calmly out of the nursery my brother following confidently behind. His nerves never seemed to get the best of him and he always appeared cool and confident. Of course and sharp tongue he also seemed to have as nothing could be said without a witty retort from him following.

Upon seeing us Leopardstar jumped onto the tall jagged rock that loomed over her den. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highrock for a clan meeting," she yowled. I sat on the edge of the clearing further away from the cluster of cats that took seats nearer to the rock. "Breezekit and Bengalkit come forward," she ordered. I padded forward shakily trying to keep from the stares of the cats around me. I knew not all of them accepted and understood why I was becoming a clan cat having not really been clan born. I wanted to avoid any judging glares I might receive because of this. My brother seemed proud as he walked with his muzzle held high. I finally stopped just beneath the rock, far enough away that I could be seen by Leopardstar but close enough that I wasn't near any of the other cats. "You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Breezepaw, your mentor will be Mudfoot. I hope Mudfoot will pass down all he knows on to you."

"Mudfoot step forward," she instructed a light brown tom with a darker brown underbelly and feet. The way his underfur was patterned and colored it looked like he was permanently covered in mud from his toes to his muzzle. We turned to face each other and I hesitantly looked into his light green eyes. They held nothing but warmth and my nerves began to calm. If only one clan cat liked me then I would be happy because one was better than none.

"Mudfoot you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have learned much from Rippletail and you have shown yourself to be kind and loyal. You will be the mentor of Breezepaw and I expect that you will pass down all you know to Breezepaw." Mudfoot stretched his muzzle out to touch noses with mine and for a moment I forgot my worries of being unaccepted by the clan. Echoes of my new name sounded throughout the camp. Though I was unsure of whether they were sincere chants of acceptance but I took it, at least no one outright hated me.

Leopardstar waited for the echoes to die down before continuing. "You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Bengalpaw, your mentor will be Beechfur. I hope Beechfur will pass down all he knows on to you."

"Beechfur step forward," she instructed a light brown tome.

"Beechfur you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have learned much from Blackclaw and you have shown yourself to be loyal and strong. You will be the mentor of Bengalpaw and I expect that you will pass down all you know to Bengalpaw. Echoes of my brother's named filled the camp just as they had with mine accepting him into their ranks if not their hearts just as they had with me.

Leopardstar jumped down from highrock adjourning the meeting. I looked to Mudfoot with expectancy of what to do next. "Go see your mother then we can begin your training," he said smiling kindly. His warmth and kindness already made me like him and I smiled back. My brother heading towards the wide flat rock that jut out from the ground. I padded off to see my mother probably for the last time before she left.

"You're so grown up now," she said her eyes shining with unshod tears.

"I'm still six moons just like I was this morning," I said with a laugh.

"Yes but now you and your brother are apprentices and that's a big step."

I smiled at her knowing I was going to miss her logic. I was also going to miss how sweet and determined she was and how she was selfless in making sure we were taken care of before she worried about herself.

"Do you have to leave?" I whispered hopefully though I already knew the answer.

"My place isn't here, I wouldn't be able to help in any way. That's not what this clan needs," she answered.

"But you could learn!" I reasoned excitedly almost shouting. I was so lost in the fact that I wanted her to stay that I never thought of whether or not that was what she wanted.

"Breezepaw I am a kittypet, I will always be a kittypet. That is where my heart lies. I'm so sorry I can't stay here with you and your brother but the best place for you is with the clan and the best place for me is with my housefolk," she said strictly. I had known this from the beginning but it was still hard to hear. "It's not because I don't love you and your brother, it's simply just what's best for all of us."

"I understand," I mewed, "I just don't know what I'm going to do when I need advice or need someone to calm me when I'm nervous."

"My sweet, kindhearted kit you will always be able to come see me if you ever need me. But there was a reason I decided the clan would be a good place for you and not let you and your brother live as loners in the forest," she sighed with a tired smile.

"What reason is that?" my brother said entering the nursery to join me in saying goodbye to our mother. He struggled the most with the fact that our mother was leaving. He told me she was just abandoning us because she didn't want to take care of us. I felt that he was just at much of a loss at what to do without her in our everyday lives as I was.

"When the clan took me I ended up learning quite a bit about their way of life. So much so that I understood that at the end of the day they all looked out for each other. When you two were the only two to survive out of the litter I felt that I needed to find some place for the both of you to grow up and live a happy life that didn't depend on housefolk wanting to keep you or not. I knew I didn't have the strength and skill to provide for all three of us myself in the forest, I doubt I would be able to take care of just myself honestly. So I decided to let you two grow up here and learn to live as these cats do because then I would know that you were taken care of, not alone, and free."

"Thank you for making the best decision you could," I offered rubbing my head against her chin. I felt at ease now knowing why my mother was leaving us and her departing no longer held the bitter edge it once had.

"I guess it could be worse for us," my brother replied still somewhat bitter. I knew this was as close as he would get to forgiving our mother for her decision.

"Thank you both for finally understanding," our mother smiled, "I will leave now so that you can begin your paths to becoming warriors for this clan. Remember I am always there in my housefolk's nest if you need me. And please if nothing else, watch over each other " She wrapped her long cream tail around the both of us enjoying our final moments of shared warmth before we went our separate paths. "I love you both so much and I hope you both do well here in Riverclan."

We both purred our affections and wished her a safe trip before she left the camp and our lives. Part of my heart went with her but I knew now as I always did that this was my place. I was meant to become and warrior of Riverclan and serve and protect it with everything I had to offer. And it was time I started my training.

 **A/N**

 **"Hi again its me Breezepaw. Just thought I'd tell you that if you like this story there are several short stories, drabbles if you will, on my friend's (who we'll meet next chapter) creator's page. Go visit UltimateKuranQueen's page for that and let MelodyStarrWH (my creator) know how you liked (or disliked) the story. Read and Review fellow clanmates Read and Review."  
**

 ***Bengalpaw from nearby* "Also if you like the cover art go check out MelodyStarrWH's Deviantart profile. You can find her under MelodyHeart-pony"**


	2. Prologue 2: RiverClan's Welcome

RiverClan's Welcome

 _Shadowpaw's POV_

My life began as a kittypet. It started out with mated housefolk and their kit, whose various attempts to smother me in love I found rather irritating. The life of a kittypet was so easy, never having to hunt for prey and always having a soft spot to lay and sun whenever I desired. In fact it was too easy. The food was bland and the sun was always through a barrier. I became restless with the soft life and began to desire more.

At my sixth moon, my housefolk brought me to this strange place. It was a housefolk nest, but not our nest. Not far from that place were horses, they didn't much care for me when the housefolk's kit carried me inside. It was at this moment I knew I couldn't keep going like this. I couldn't be carried around as if I were nothing more than a mouse to be toyed with. So when the door opened to let the housefolk in, I darted out and across the fence. This action did not agree with those horses and I had to dodge them and made it to an open field that was thick with water. I was amazed at the view, it was like nothing I had seen when I was with my twolegs and it was easy to go explore. I ducked under the fence only for my collar to get stuck on one of the boards in the fence.

I fought hard against it for several minutes until it suddenly it let me go. I turned back to look only to see it hanging there on the fence. A feeling filled me as I looked at that collar and I have to admit I liked it. So with the giddy feeling, I made my way over to the river. I looked into the water to see shimmering fish and my stomach growled in hunger, the housefolk had been too busy moving their strange furs in bags out of the monster they had forgotten to feed me. I made my way to the edge of the water, watching and waiting. A fish swam close enough and I pounced on it.

It fought a lot, but I eventually got it and dragged it back to the shore, where four cats sat looking at me. There was one there that was probably around her sixth moon. She was a cream and brown tabby she-cat with a dirty white under belly, muzzle, and toes, her bluish-green eyes held curiosity. She stood slightly behind a light brown tom whose underbelly, legs, and face were darker brown like he had been playing in the mud, his brown eyes held kindness. Off to the side was a tom cat with dark gray fur and spots, his ears stunted as was his short tail, his ivy green eyes, made all the more glaring by the markings on the side of them, were suspicious and the uninviting air around him made it feel like he was the cat you didn't want to make angry. To the front of the group, there was a gray she-cat, her blue eyes were piercing and her stance made it clear she was in charge.

"You're scaring all the fish away." The green eyed tom said rudely. The tone made me all the more stiff.

"I thought that was your ugly muzzle." I growled, crouching over my fish. My comment seemed to amuse the blue-eyed she-cat.

"You caught that fish all by yourself." She said, but less towards me and more towards herself. She nodded once to herself and turned towards the two toms. "She's coming with us."

The green eyed tom looked at her, like she had lost her mind. "Mistyfoot, you can't be serious. Look at her she's a kittypet. Not only that, but her fur will hold her back. Look at how long it is." I looked down at myself, and indeed it was longer than theirs by a lot, but if he thought I couldn't do something because of it he was wrong. But if that she-cat thought I would just travel with some strange cat then she, too, was sadly mistaken. "Who are you cats? What makes you think I will go anywhere with you?" I bristled angrily.

Mistyfoot, the grey she-cat, looked at me menacingly before she smirked. "You'll come with us if you really want to live away from your twolegs." She said as if she knew I would accept.

"Twolegs? Do you mean housefolk?" I asked. She didn't answer me, as if the answer was obvious.

"So what will it be?" she asked. "Will you go home to your twolegs or will you come with us? There is no middle ground."

I looked at her than the other three cats. Would it be so bad? To have companions and to not be alone. To help and be helped. To live a life away from my twolegs as this cat had called them. The ivy eyed cat glared down at me. I wanted to prove him wrong. "I will go with you," I nodded. "I don't want the life of a house cat."

Mistyfoot smiled and turned walking towards the river before wading through it. I was eager to follow her. I plunged into the river and followed her quickly, not even paying attention to the other cats. I was excited and I couldn't help it. I heard the other cats behind me, but I didn't care. I was going to live a life of adventure where I could sun under the actual sun.

We traveled through the few trees this field had and to a rocky pass where there was a place surrounded almost entirely by water. Mistyfoot nodded towards the water-surrounded land. "This is RiverClan. This will be your new home if Leopardstar feels you will make a good addition."

"Who's Leopardstar?" I asked her. Mistyfoot looked at me as if she was forgetting that I was just a regular house cat.

"Leopardstar is our clan leader, I am the deputy." She said simply as we walked over a patch of earth where you could feel the water rushing underneath it. "The clan life isn't an easy one. As no doubt Leopardstar will tell you. Be quiet and stay with Ivyclaw and Mudfoot." She nodded first to the green-eyed tom then to the brown-eyed one. "Breezepaw leave that there and go to the apprentice den, we shall pick up hunting patrol later." She said walked towards a rock that had entrance at the bottom and entered it.

I looked to Ivyclaw, the surly spotted tom, and opened my muzzle. "Ivyclaw sounds like a she-cat's name." His paw flashed out before I could comprehend what he did and then slammed down on top of my head.

"Listen here kittypet don't think just because Mistyfoot was soft on you doesn't mean I will be." He growled.

I sniffed and turned to look around the camp. Near the rock Mistyfoot had entered was a hollowed out log. I could see older cats peering out of it and at me. I quickly looked away to see a bush beside that and cats also peering out of there all either kits or queens. I turned my body to see a woven sanctuary of sticks and reeds a few cat poking their heads out there. Spinning to the opposite side I saw a pile of food just waiting to be eaten and next to that was a rock that jutted out to the ground and this is where that cream tabby had gone. She was looking out at me with a few others and I finally finished the circle to see a thorn bush there its roots exposed forming an area underneath which held a golden dappled she-cat. I heard their whispers.

Kittypet. Doesn't belong. What's she doing here? They throw around the word kittypet as if I should be ashamed and that made me ashamed, but still I held my head higher as I turned myself to face back towards the two toms I had been left with. This act of defiance on my part seemed to impress the short tailed tom, Ivyclaw. However the whispers got louder and more hate filled. It almost seemed too much. None, however came over, perhaps in part to the green-eyed tom's looks.

"Be silent RiverClan" A stern voice said, causing all noise to halt and my body to turn to the sound. This cat commanded as if the very earth would stand still if she told it to she was golden with darker spots and a stripped tail, I had never seen a pattern like it before. She was sleek and well-muscled like all the cats I had meet so far. "You." She did not raise her voice, but the accusation was there. "What are you doing here? I haven't seen many kittypets here? And hunting our food?" she cast her eyes to the fish behind me. "You did well. How did a kittypet such as yourself manage that?"

I looked at her and knew I couldn't just smart off to her like I had done with Ivyclaw. "I got away from my… twolegs, I was unhappy with them. I ran here because it was the most wondrous thing I had seen. I did not know this was yours. I didn't know that there were any cats here, and I didn't mean to steal your food from you."

The golden cat stared long and hard at me. "Tell me." She spoke. "Why get away from your twolegs?" She was frozen waiting for my answer.

"I didn't wish to just do nothing." I told her honestly. "I am not happy to just lay and watch the outside through a nest."

She narrowed her eyes. "So do you wish to join RiverClan? Knowing we cannot promise you warmth in the cold. Or food when your belly cries. That the Clan comes before yourself." She stood taller. "Are you prepared to learn our ways? To learn how to hunt. Do you want to live the way our ancestors have for many generations? Or is this some rebellious streak of a kittypet who will leave when the clan falls on hard times and you are needed most?"

It was my turn to puff up. "I will not leave because something gets hard. You doubt me, but I won't be looked down upon. I will be as good as anyone else. I'll be one of the best. Just you watch. It'll be easy." I snapped at this cat, before realizing that I had just snapped off to the leader. Aw well too late now. I can't back down without proving they were right.

The clan roared in outrage, only to be silenced by the clan leader's glare. She turned her eyes to me once again. "Easy? No I think you will not find it so easy. However with determination like yours I have no doubts you will fall into life of the clan simply enough. What's your name young one?"

"It's Jewel." I told her.

She walked to the stone she had come out of. Only this time she sat before it. In a loud and clear voice she yowled for all of RiverClan to hear. "Let every cat old enough to hunt prey gather under Highcliff for a clan meeting." She gave every cat enough time gather at the base of the stone. "Step forward Jewel." I did so. "Jewel, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until the day you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Shadowpaw. Your mentor will be Ivyclaw. I hope he will pass down all he knows onto you. Ivyclaw step forward." He did. "Ivyclaw, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Moonstep and you have shown yourself to be brave and loyal. You will be the mentor of Shadowpaw and I expect you to pass on all you know to Shadowpaw." Leopardstar touched noses with me and a chorus of Shadowpaw rang out through the cats.

A disgruntled sound came from the male tom as he softly spoke to the leader as to not sound like he was questioning his leader in front of the clan. "Leopardstar reconsider, please. What can I teach this kittypet? She knows nothing."

"Then teach her everything Ivyclaw." Leopardstar said as she turned and walked away.

I looked around as all the cats looked unhappy, but went back to their own business. I looked to the hollowed log as Ivyclaw continued to bemoan his unfortunate circumstance. Poking her head out of the hollowed log, a darkly colored tabby cat was looking towards me, not at me but at the ground behind me. I looked and saw the fish I caught. She caught me looking at her and ducked back into the log. I looked back at the she-cat before going and picking up the fish, making sure no one was looking, I swiftly and silently as possible made my way over to the log. I peeked inside to see two more cats, both toms. One was gray with flecks of silver here and there from age. The other was a well-muscled more than most I had seen in the clan today. All three looked at me, then the fish, then at me. I dropped the fish and pushed it to them.

"This is what you wanted, right?" I asked them, nudging the fish closer. "You can have it. It is only fair since I kind of stole it in the first place." They all looked at me before the she-cat smiled and walked up to the fish ripping into it and placing the chunk at my feet.

"Eat young apprentice you'll need your strength for the hunt later." She said kindly. I nodded thanks, but did not eat until all the older cats had finished. "You didn't eat. Why?"

"In case you were still hungry." I told her. "That's what my mother told me to do before my house… twolegs got me. Those both very young and old must be fed first, because the young can't get it themselves and the old have waited and shared theirs for far too long." I told her eating the chuck of fish that had been left for me, altogether missing the look the older cats throw to each other.

"Shadowpaw! This is where you've been chowing down on the fish meant for the clan." A grow came from the end of the log.

I bristled instantly. Maybe I could be nice here in the log with these older cats, but out there I had to prove I was just as good as they were. "What do you want? Thought you didn't want to see me."

"It's time for a hunting patrol you're with Mudfoot, his apprentice, and me. So if you're done eating Clan fish it's time to go." He hissed, stunted ears pinned back in anger. "I'm going to teach you to be a RiverClan cat if it kills me."

"I get the feeling you're hoping it kills me first." I growled shoving past him. "Well the jokes on you. I am going to be the best apprentice you've ever had."

"We shall see. But I doubt it." He huffed.

 **A/N**

 **"Hey it's Breezepaw again just reminding you to Read and Review so MelodyStarrWH and UltimateKuranQueen know they are doing a good job."**

 ***Shadowpaw scowling* "And (even though we shouldn't have to remind you) check out the drabbles on UltimateKuranQueen's page."**

 ***Breezepaw gives Shadowpaw a stern glare* "Be nice to these cat's they're only trying to enjoy a story."**

 **"Whatever" *Shadowpaw hisses and walks away***

 **"Don't worry about her she'll be fine. See you next Saturday for the update of Looming Shadows."**

 ***Shadowpaw from the elder's den* "Unless they decide to post early like they did this week."**

 ***Ears laid back in annoyance* "Quite you don't make me get Ivyclaw."**

 ***Shadowpaw hisses from the elders den* "Don't you dare get that mangy she-cat."**


	3. Chapter 1: The Dream and The Gathering

The Dream and The Gathering

Yowls and screeches echo from all around as I push my paws to go faster. The scent of blood was harsh against my nose. I could taste it in my mouth. I could feel the slick wetness of it, on my paw and muzzle, clearly not mine, and on my pelt accompanied by pain. I hear my name being called by Breezepaw, but it's not my name. Shadowfang. Yet I know it is my name.

Strange cats claw and tackled the strangely familiar cats. Cats I know I haven't seen before and yet I feel concern for them as if they were my friends. Something drove me on. A rust colored cat, he was what my aim was on. He darted to and fro, delivering powerful blows to each of his opponents. My feet twitched as I got closer, a cat was behind him. Large, slick, and black, he was lethal. He slammed down into the reddish brown cat. The red cat fell and I pounced teeth bared going in for the kill. The entire scene faded as my eyes caught a cat on the battlefield he stood still looking and watching. He had the purest of blue eyes, his fur was that of a gray tabby. He was not a warrior or he would have been fighting right. I froze looking at him and the battle played on without me. The yowls of battle cries dimmed falling into an almost background noise like crickets at night.

"What is this?" I asked him. He didn't answer me, just as sat there. I growled at him crouching to spring at him.

"You really think that's a good idea? Just attacking a cat because he is quietly sitting?" He looked at me his tone dripped with sarcasm.

"Maybe not, but you are the one invading my dreams, stranger." I snarled at him. Not giving an inch. "You aren't the same as the other cats. Who are you and why are you here?"

"I really don't see why I have to explain anything to a cat who sees fit to yell at me." The tom looked at me his blue eyes cutting me. But as I looked into his eyes, I got the impression he wouldn't harm me.

"Alright." I said, letting my fur lie flat and sitting to wrap my tail around my forepaws securely. "You don't want me to yell. Then I will not yell."

He tilted his head to the side slightly looking confused. "Why?"

"Because you clearly won't say anything with me yelling at you. You seem like that stubborn cat." I told him. He looked at me with his head still tilted. "So, can you tell me why, oh-dream-stranger, you are in my dreams this night? And for that matter what that," I twirled my tail around as if to gesture at the battlefield that we were currently sitting calmly in. It wasn't the same as before. Before it was sharp and clear, as if it were real, far, far too real. Now it was dull and the figures were not recognizable, a blur of color and movement. It was strange to say the least

"Honestly, I don't know why I am in some obnoxious cat's dreams." He said shortly. "It, also, your dream how would I know what it is?"

I put aside the sass he said these words with. "I see," I looked at him, a smile slightly there. "So, you never told me who you are. I guess I shall call you the dream stranger until you do tell me." I laid down resting my head on my paws as I wrapped my tail subtly around my face to hide my mirth. He looked taken aback by, both, the name and the change in my moods. I never claimed to keep my inner moods in check, and I was almost positive this cat was, now that I think about it, was just a dream. Almost as if this dream was within the battle dream.

He snorted lightly as if he could hear my thoughts and found them amusing. "You are a strange cat… and I'm not sure that is a good thing." He said. "Beside I don't know who you are either, Dreamer." He smirk. I looked at him appraising, when everything began to fade swiftly. His smirk stayed in my mind.

My eyes were assaulted with the sun hitting the ground around me in its harsh good morning. I stretched my body out reaching in front of me extending my upper back before doing the same with my back feet. It had been maybe many moons, I lost count, but Breezepaw probably knew, she liked to keep track of that kind of stuff. She was son of the only tolerable cats in RiverClan save the leader, deputy, and the elders. It's one of the reasons I slept outside, except for in leaf-bare.

I padded out from behind the elder's den. Due to the fact I was sleeping outside, I was generally the first to wake. I walked over to the fresh kill pile and laid near it sunning myself in the early morning light, while a chill breeze rustled my long fur. I closed my eyes letting it, just feeling my surroundings. I heard and felt the padding of some cat, but I didn't open my eyes. Most cats in RiverClan don't bother with me. My first impression on them made them less inclined to be near me, so did the fact I wasn't the most sociable cat.

My eyes stayed close until a paw trapped me underneath it, and a rough tongue began to groom my head and ears. I hissed, squirming to get away, but I knew it was in vain. "Good Morning." The cropped eared tom chuckled at my pain and indignation. I should know better than this it happens near every morning.

"Ivyclaw." I hissed at him. "Stop you mangy she-cat." I got my ear batted with the paw he was not using to hold me down causing him to add more weight on me. The she-cat comment had been my special way of greeting my mentor when he annoyed me. The ivy part of his name was general, and sounded to me like, a female name. I commented on it the day we meet and he hasn't gotten rid of it since. He was a border-line cat in my opinion. For my first like four moons, he truly hated me, he wanted nothing to do with me. When he taught me, he was cold and harsh. However, one day something changed and he grow almost kind. He started each morning out with this attack, he likes to claim is sharing-tongues. I think it just brought him joy to see me squirm. Then there was the fact that even while he was still hard on me, he no longer had that blade edge at the edges of his voice. It was a welcomed reprieve from the harshness of most of the rest of the clan, however it was sudden. Which is why I didn't trust it, the reason he was a border-line cat. I didn't know if I could let my walls down like I did with the elders.

"Good morning." A sweet voice called from my left flank. I looked to get a warm and kind pair of greenish-blue eyes and a hateful glare. "Looks like you two are having a grand time." The cream and brown she-cat smiled sweetly. This was the same small she-cat that had been with Mistyfoot when she found me by the lake.

"Moring Breezepaw." I told her shortly. I turned my gaze to the harsher eyes. "Good morning Bengalpaw." I told him mockingly.

Bengalpaw was a tom, of the same litter as Breezepaw. You could tell they were related, they looked similar, except unlike his sister his pelt was a brown and his strips dirty white. Everything about him was like his pelt, the exact opposite of his sister. Where she was kind and caring, he was rude and had a sharp tongue. He was always competing with Breezepaw and myself. Most of the lessons, except for swimming, came almost naturally for me. I really didn't have to work too hard to prefect the techniques. This made him absolutely hate me with a passion that burned like the sun and every star in Silverpelt combined. He narrowed his eyes at me before he picked up a smaller fish and walked away gesturing to his sister for her to follow. She shot me an apologetic look before turning to leave.

"Wait. Breezepaw, where are you going?! Help me get this fat she-cat off me." I called after her earning myself a rather rough couple licks to the ear. "Hey, lay off my ear." I growled, as he let me squirm away. I padded over to the fresh-kill pile and picked up a juicy medium sized fish before coming back to him. "Would you like some?" I asked in a manner that sounded like I could really care less because I already knew the answer. He nodded before leaning forward and starting on the fish. I waited for a moment.

"Eat we have a full day ahead of us." He said glancing at me. I waited another moment longer a subtle act of defiance. He knew and he allowed these subtle acts, so long as they didn't interfere with training and were not blatantly disrespectful. I dropped to a crouch feasting on the fish, letting the flavor fill my mouth, savoring it cause I knew that this would be the only moment until the time I go to sleep he would let me relax.

Ivyclaw got up and padded away, glancing over his shoulder. A signal I knew meant for me to follow him. I discarded the fish bones and took off after him. "So what are we working on today?" I asked him sweetly.

"As you know, the gathering will be tonight." He informed me. "I will be going." I didn't understand, Ivyclaw had gone to the gathering tons of time. Why would it concern me…unless… He cut his eyes at me. "You will be coming with me." He told me.

"What?! No, Ivyclaw, but why?" I pouted plopping my butt down. We were near the catmint glade now. He glared at me.

"It's not going to be that bad and its not far from here. Stop whining like a kit." He said, I guess I crossed the line but out right defying him like that. While he was allowed some defiance, this was not one of them. I should have known better than to argue with him and truly it was just a gathering how bad could it get?

That day's training went by without incident save the one or two times that I got on Ivyclaw's nerves enough to cause him to lash out. I will admit I was not a very well behaved apprentice, with my attitude. I knew I was less than ideal. So when the time came and it was time to go back to camp, I was quick to find Breezepaw, who was unfortunately with Bengalpaw. I looked at them, and decide that I wanted to see my best friend more than I cared about her brother's insults and glares.

"Breezepaw!" I shouted at her quickening my pace. Her brother immediately stiffened.

"If it isn't our conquering hunter back from the hunt. I caught three fish today, Shadowpaw. What about you?" The brown tom smirked at his catch, clearly very proud of himself.

"Actually, I caught nothing. But that could be because we didn't go hunting today, but practiced battle techniques today." I told him, simply and with very little interest. He glowed with anger. This is how Bengalpaw and I have always been. He desired to be the best and clearly I stood in his way. I wasn't going to stand aside to let him be the best just to save his ego a little. He was good, almost as good as I was, but where he tried hard, it came almost naturally to me. He will never forgive me for that.

He scoffed at me and opened his muzzle to say something when Breezepaw interrupted. "Guys, please don't fight." She said softly. I sighed backing down and sitting. She was my friend and I could handle her brother for her. Bengalpaw looked at his sister, then to me. He seemed to resign himself to my being there. He let himself sit down before he decided to lay down against his sister. "What was it that you wanted to see me about Shadowpaw?"

"Well first off, Ivyclaw seems to think it's a good idea that I go to a gathering." I rolled my eyes and heard a scoff from Bengalpaw. "I know it's an honor and all, but it sounds boring to be frank. I mean I'll go, but I'm not really sure I want to." I looked to my left towards the warrior den to see a group of cats looking this way, including my mentor. Our deputy was there and as I watched she turned her head towards me. I nodded, respectfully before turning back to my own conversation. "Plus I had this strange dream."

"What kind of dream?" We all jumped turning to see the slick dark gray tabby she-cat. "Um…well… I was just talking to this cat in the dream you see." I told her, deciding not to tell her of the fight, feeling that it wasn't the right time. "It was a cat I had never seen before."

"And what did this cat look like?" she asked sitting wrapping her tail around her paws. She looked intently at me, like there was some important fact in my dream.

"Like a regular gray tabby tom cat." I told her. She looked at me for a moment before nodding and padding away.

"So what about this dream?" It surprised me that the cat that asked this question was not from Breezepaw, but Bengalpaw.

"It was strange and now that I think about it, it was probably nothing." I told him, though he looked unconvinced. This was another thing I didn't understand about this cat while he was often times competing with me and downright rude he seemed interested in his sister. I guess that extends to his sister's friends. He almost seemed to care what was happening in my dreams or maybe it was because Willowshine took an interest in the dream. "Just some strange dream."

"Is anything really just anything?" Breezepaw asked. "Don't be down on yourself."

I nodded looking out over the clan every cat seemed to be at peace and happy. It was so far a good start to new-leaf. It gave my heart a happy leap to see all the cats working together. I stretched out before standing up. "So if I am going to the gathering, does that mean either of you are going?" I asked looking over at the two of them.

"Mudfoot said that he and I aren't going." Breezepaw replied, watching me claw at the grass before we both looked at Bengalpaw.

"I'll be going with my mentor." He told us, glancing slightly at me. Almost like he was expecting me to call him on coping me.

"Good. At the very least it won't be boring." I stretched again before padding to the fresh kill pile. "Are either of you hungry?" I asked both replying with an affirmation, though Bengalpaw's was a bit less polite. I picked up a medium sized fish that would fill us all and I knew there would be no left overs before walking back to the two cats.

We ate quietly, not even Bengalpaw was picking a fight, and I thought to myself that this gathering might not be so bad. Especially if Bengalpaw wasn't going to start fights with me today.

The sun was beginning to make its decent down and the cats that were going included our leader, our deputy, our medicine cat and her apprentice, a few warriors, including our mentors, and we, Bengalpaw and myself, were the only apprentices coming. We made our way to the shore where the fallen tree made a bridge to the small island near the lake shore. The gathering place.

As I had predicted, it wasn't that fun. They did the whole formal opening and then each clan leader took turns tell all the clans what had happened since the last gathering. While that was going on, I let my eyes drift around the clearing and to my immense surprise I saw the tom of my dreams. But how is that possible. As I was looking at him, he turned his head in my direction and looked at me. No not really at me almost past me in a very disconcerting way.

"Excuse me." A voice said and I looked up to see that a black cat had stepped up interrupting the gathering.

'Rude much.' I thought to myself. However, I held my tongue it wasn't my place to tell her anything. But even I, who was raised as a kittypet for the first six moons of my life, knows better than to interrupt a gathering.

"I am sorry, but I can hold my tongue no longer. I feel it is my duty to tell you that my siblings and mine parents are not Squirrelflight, but Leafpool and Crowfeather. My mother broke the rule against medicine cats not having kits and she did so with a WindClan cat." This cat's holly green eyes were sharp as she looked at a cat from WindClan I assume to be her supposed father. Who was denying any allegations to the kits he didn't even knew he had apparently. Claiming only one kit meant anything to him, the one he had with his current mate.

There was a round of angry hisses within the WindClan cats. The cat jumped began to walk back, I took the chance to speak up. "That was uncalled for." I told her loud enough for some cats to hear. Her confession had gotten all the clans in an uproar. Specifically WindClan and ThunderClan. She turned to me.

"Excuse me, I did right by the warrior code." She snarled at me. "What would you know anyways? You aren't even involved."

"You're wrong. I'm involved now because you brought all the clans into this. And by the looks of it you didn't even tell your clan leader." I nodded my head to a dumbstruck red cat. "You caused chaos in your clan and at the gathering. Oh how proud you must be, following the warrior code to the shame of not only your clan but WindClan as well." She released her claws and sliced down my face. I didn't move to attack her back and she seemed to realize what she had done when the cats around me hissed angrily. "Don't mistake my words, she-cat. I'm not saying you were wrong for telling, I am saying you were wrong for how you went about it."

The rest of the clans grew loud with anger at this cat and she seemed upset and took off. I saw two cats run after her, one the cat from my dream, the other was I was sure related to the red leader. I looked up as the light got dimmer to see that a cloud was passing over the moon. StarClan wasn't pleased with this gathering and to be honest, with blood dripping down the left side of my face I wasn't either.

 **A/N**

 ***Breezepaw scolding Shadowpaw* "You did what!?"**

 ***Shadowpaw defensively turning her head away only to get popped by Willowshine who is trying to stop the bleeding on her face* "I called her out on her mouse dung."**

 ***Breezepaw still scolding* "You're not supposed to do that at a gathering!"**

 **"She started it."**

 ***Ivyclaw walks in interrupting Breezepaw* "How are you feeling Shadowpaw?"**

 ***Shadowpaw twitches tail* I'd be better if these authors would just leave us be. Besides I'm sure the rest of the clan is just as upset with me."**

 ***Breezepaw goes to continue scolding Shadowpaw but gets interrupted by her* "I don't know why we're doing this here when we're going to be doing it in the next chapter."**

 **"You're right so I will continue in the next chapter." *Sweetly to the baffled readers* "Don't forget to Read and Review. See you next week!"**


	4. Chapter 2: Dawn Patrol

Dawn Patrol

 _Breezepaw's POV_

"You did what!?" I hissed at my best friend and clan mate. The patrol that had gone to the gathering had come back and Leopardstar had explained to the clan what had happened. Hollyleaf, a ThunderClan warrior had interrupted the gathering to announce her parentage. I now sat in the medicine den as Shadowpaw was getting cobwebs applied to her face. I was trying to grasp why my blunt, sharp-tongued friend had gone off on the ThunderClan warrior and gotten herself scratched.

"I called her out on her mouse dung," Shadowpaw replied defensively.

I looked at her incredulously, "you're not supposed to do that at a gathering!"

"She started it," she replied like a young kit. Sometimes I just wanted to swat her one good time to put her tongue in check. Judging by her muzzle Hollyleaf had already done that. That brought me some comfort knowing someone had attempted to put her in her place though I was upset to see her hurt. Before I could continue reprimanding her Ivyclaw walked into the medicine den.

"How are you feeling Shadowpaw?" he asked his apprentice. I was surprised that his tone was not harsh. The dark gray tom was not known for being soft or even remotely kind towards his apprentice until recently. Nobody knew except the elders why but I wasn't going to complain that someone else was starting to accept Shadowpaw into the clan.

"I'm fine," she replied curtly," I'm sure the rest of the clan wishes they could have been in Hollyleaf's paws". Even though Ivyclaw was starting to be kinder towards Shadowpaw she didn't seem to realize it. Trying to understand her reasoning for continuously being obnoxiously rude towards her mentor was beyond even StarClan's powers.

"Actually the clan feels that you were right in calling her out," Ivyclaw informed her, "and even Leopardstar kind of admires you for honoring the peace treaty and not striking her back."

"It wasn't worth it to strike her back," my friend replied, "besides the rest of the clans were already striking her with words."

"Sometimes you make me not entirely ashamed to be your mentor," Ivyclaw chuckled.

"Whatever you mangy she-cat," she scoffed.

I raised my paw, claws sheathed, and tapped her head gently. "Be nice to your mentor," I scolded. She replied with a glaring hiss and her ears laid back. She was so much like a pouting kit in that moment that I half expected her to stick her tongue out. Ivyclaw's green eyes bore into her with a slightly amused glare. He didn't get the chance to reply to her disrespectful comment before my brother trotted into the now crowded medicine den.

"Hey Shadowpaw how are you feeling?" he asked. He obviously forgot that he had some kind of feud with Shadowpaw and generally made it a point to be harsh to her.

"Are you actually concerned Bengalpaw?" I teased my brother. He immediately went into defensive mode.

"No I was just checking to see if what Hollyleaf did improved her ugly muzzle or not," he replied hastily. Willowshine glared at him from around Shadowpaw's muzzle not liking the comment or his presence overcrowding the den.

"I think I'll go find Mudfoot and see what he had planned for me today," I said taking the hint from Willowshine and weaving my way around the other four cats in the den. The sun was just beginning to rise as I made my way across the camp towards the warriors den to await my mentor.

"Hello Breezepaw," a deep strong voice said from behind me. I turned to see a slender black tom with small neat ears and dark gray eyes emerging from the mud and reed weaved den.

"Good morning Reedwhisker," I mewed cheerfully, "are you on dawn patrol?"

"Yes as are you," a strong yet soft voice said from behind the black tom. Mudfoot stepped out of the den and around Reedwhisker to look at me fully. He greeted me with a bright smile as he did at the beginning of everyday. With that smile came an all too familiar tightening in my chest that I never had an explanation for. I shook myself mentally realizing I had yet to greet my mentor or reply to his statement of our plans for the day.

"Good morning Mudfoot," I chirped quickly, "is it just going to be the three of us our are we waiting on someone else before we leave?"

"It will just be the three of us," he replied, "you're doing well enough in your training that I figured we didn't need a third warrior." His light green eyes held an amused gleam. I flushed knowing it was my baffled state that amused him.

"We should be going then," Reedwhisker grunted. Mudfoot nodded his head and began walking towards the exit to the camp. I obediently followed after my mentor with Reedwhisker right on my tail. We decided to begin with the border we shared with ShadowClan and began making our way to the greenleaf twoleg place and small thunderpath that marked the borders. "So Breezepaw how much longer do you think you'll be training for until you become a warrior?" Reedwhisker asked from behind me a little ways.

I slowed slightly until my pace was even with his and we were walking side by side. As we walked his shoulder brushed against mine and I felt a jolt run through me. I looked at the tom curious to see if he felt it too. I was unprepared for the intense look that gleamed in his gray eyes and it brought a blush to my muzzle. "Hopefully not much longer," I replied shaking myself mentally for the second time already today.

"It won't be at the rate you're going,"Mudfoot complimented from ahead of us. I blushed again at his compliment. It was nice to be complimented by any cat but it was especially nice to be complimented by a loyal warmhearted cat such as Mudfoot.

"You're going to make a great warrior," Reedwhisker said adding to Mudfoot's compliment, "I'll be honored to have a cat as trustworthy and intelligent as you by my side as a warrior." Though he said as a warrior I detected a double meaning to his words by my side. Then again I was probably thinking too far into things.

The rest of our trek to the ShadowClan border was in silence. It was peaceful to be able to walk quietly my paws sinking slightly into the always wet grass. Tensions had been running high with the clans as of late between Sol, ShadowClan's momentary lack of faith in StarClan, the clans fighting, and now knowing that two separate codes were broken by two of the clans. It was nice to just listen to the sounds of the marsh that made up RiverClan territory.

We soon arrived at the border and I was relieved to find that no trouble was being stirred up by ShadowClan. We marked the border as we usually did and began our decent to the WindClan border.

Not much was said as we made our way towards the border following the big thunderpath towards the first fence of the horseplace that marked the edge of our territory. It wasn't until we got to the river than ran from the lake that anybody spoke. "Should we stop to get some fresh-kill for the clan?" Reedwhisker asked Mudfoot.

"We will stop to hunt for a small time after we check the WindClan border," he replied, "but we'll leave the majority for the hunting patrol later." Reedwhisker nodded respectfully before carefully wading through the river. Mudfoot and I followed suit and we again continued in silence. Once we checked to make sure all was peaceful with WindClan we came back to the river to do some fishing. Mudfoot and Reedwhisker took to two separate ends of the river to fish and I stuck to the area between the both of them. I saw plenty of small silver fish swimming to and fro in my area but left them be. I knew if I left them now they would soon grow into bigger fish that would benefit the clan better. I patiently waited with my tail wrapped around my back paws for a fish with a decent enough size to be worth catching. My time came when a larger silver fish caught my eye. I waited for it to try to swim past me and hooked my claws into its unsuspecting belly and pulled it up onto the dry ground. I quickly snapped its neck, thanked StarClan and placed it in a safe area near me to get when we headed back to camp. I caught a couple more fish before Mudfoot said it was time to head back.

"Hey Breezepaw come look at this," I heard Mudfoot call to me. I padded to him to examine what he asked me to. He moved his paws away so that I could see what lay underneath. It was a small smooth red-brown colored stone. It was beautiful. "You can have it," he offered with a warm smile that reached his eyes.

"But you found it, you should keep it," I replied respectfully. It truly was a beautiful stone and it would be nice to decorate my nest with in the apprentice's den. But he was the one who had found it and it would be wrong of me to not at least attempt to let him keep it before I snatched it away.

"I want you to have it Breezepaw. It is a beautiful stone and should belong to a beautiful cat," He responded softly. He pushed the stone towards me and gave me a quick lick between my ears. I watched dumbfounded as he trotted off to collect the fish he caught. _What does he mean a beautiful cat?_ I shook my head to clear it once more and followed the two toms back to camp.

 **A/N *Breezepaw thinking out loud* "Toms are weird."**

 ***Bengalpaw from beside her* "That's because you're a she-cat. If you ask me she-cats are the weird ones."**

 ***Shadowpaw swats Bengalpaw's head from behind* "Its a good thing no one asked you then."**

 ***Breezepaw laughing* "Shadowpaw you don't have to be so mean."**

 ***Shadowpaw sweetly* "Me? Be mean? Never"**

 ***Bengalpaw rubbing his head* "That's not what my head thinks***

 **"Maybe I should give your head something else to think about"**

 ***Breezepaw sternly intervening* "That's enough you two kits. If you guys are finished Bengalpaw you can go check the elders for ticks and make sure they have fresh moss."**

 ***Bengalpaw stubbornly* "You're not my mentor."**

 ***Beechfur padding up behind him* "No but I am and I think that sounds like an excellent idea."**

 **"Yes Beechfur." *Bengalpaw sulks towards the elder's den***

 ***Mudfoot came to sit beside Breezepaw having heard everything* "You're going to make a great mentor one day."**

 ***Breezepaw blushing* "Th-thanks Mudfoot."**

 ***Shadowpaw fake coughing loudly* "If you two are finished I think our readers would like to get on with their lives."**

 ***Mudfoot nodding respectfully* "You're right. Our apologies readers. We hope you enjoyed this chapter and will see you next week for the update."**

 ***Breezepaw with syrupy sweetness* "And as always Read and Review. May StarClan light your path."**


	5. Chapter 3: The Capture

***Bengalpaw shamefully pawing the ground* "We're so sorry about not updating last week but you know how college and finals get. But to make up for it you get two chapters this week. Hope you enjoy!"**

The Capture

"Come on." Growled the reddish brown tabbied mouse brain, otherwise known as Bengalpaw. "The faster we get this done the faster we can go back to camp.

"You're the one who had to open your muzzle and cause problems where there weren't any." I hissed at him.

"Oh?! So now it's my fault." His fur began to stand up making him look bigger. Unfortunately for him, my fur was longer and made me look even larger and more of a threat than his puny self.

"What are you talking about fish bait? You always start it and it's always your fault." I pinned my ears back to make my displeasure known. This cat just had a way of coaxing all manner of anger out of me.

This whole argument was started this morning just after getting up.

I sat off to the side of the apprentice den, waiting for Breezepaw. I wasn't in a very happy mood today, it had rained last night and I was chased by a highly upset Heavystep back to the apprentice den. Then to top all that off, I had woken up with Breezepaw on one side of me, which wasn't so bad, and Bengalpaw on the other.

He had woken and smirked at me. "Aw did little Shadowpaw get scared by a little rain? Poor kit. Here let my comfort you, Kit."

My immediate response was to hiss in his face, ears pinned back before exiting the den. "Kit, he says." I huffed.

"It's not good to talk to yourself. People might just think you've gone mad." A chuckle came from my right.

"Not now you mangy she-cat." I sighed. "That was humiliating. I was curled next to him." I looked at Ivyclaw who had an unreadable expression on his face. I frowned harder, and winced. It had been about a week since the gathering, but my face was still a little sensitive.

"You should see Willowshine if it is still hurting you." He told me to which I turned my nose up to.

"I'm fine." I told him.

"Does your face hurt?" I turned to see Bengalpaw seated not too far away staring intently at me, waiting for my answer.

"Eh," I told him, padding away.

"Eh isn't an answer Shadowpaw." Bengalpaw hissed blocking off my path of escape from both these males.

"It's the answer I am giving you. And honestly why do you care?"

"I don't!" he shouted.

"Then get out of my way." It was the polar opposite of his words, where his were loud and full of emotion, mine were softly spoken and harsh.

Greenish-blue eyes clashed with mine as growls left both of our mouths. "Stop it both of you." Ivyclaw hissed warningly. Neither Bengalpaw nor I heeded his word or his warning stance as we continued to stand off.

"I don't get why you're upset. I just asked if you were okay." His fur was puffed, his back began to arch in anger. I turned away from him before the situation got worse. That proved to be the wrong move apparently. He jumped on me in his anger and I retaliated, slashing at him with my claws. If he wanted a fight I would give him one.

We became a ball of teeth and claws, but for all our anger, no serious wounds were drawn on either of us. The miniature battle raged until Ivyclaw, I knew it was him since I was constantly in this position, sank his teeth into my scruff pulling us apart. "Enough!" he bellowed, I looked down chastened. "The both of you are close to becoming warriors, and this is how you act? Like kits that have no StarClan given sense. You!" He rounded on me. "I've taught you better than this. That temper of yours is getting to be old, Shadowpaw."

"I didn't start this!" I protested vehemently. Why did he blame me? Especially when Bengalpaw was the one who started all this.

"I don't care who started it!" Ivyclaw yowled in fury. "I'm the one finishing it." I dipped my head in anguish. I had made my mentor so mad; I had never seen him this mad before. "Bengalpaw." Ivyclaw's voice was softer when he spoke to the tom. I looked up upset at the tone he used with the other apprentice. "I am not your mentor, however you did attack my apprentice. Is this the way you treat a female cat, especially an injured one? I will be informing Beechefur and I am sure the two of you will have words."

"In the meantime…" We all turned to see Mistyfoot standing there a disapproving look on her face. "You two, as punishment, can collect moss for the elder's den and the nursery." I dipped my head in shame once more, I didn't like the fact I made one of the few cats that respected me look at me so disapprovingly. Neither one of us had a complaint to make, knowing that we were in trouble.

"I will head out immediately Mistyfoot." I informed her, tears burning in my eyes but refusing to let them fall. I turned swiftly on my paws to leave camp, I didn't care that Bengalpaw was following me or that I could feel Ivyclaw's gaze on the back of my head. I walked out of camp and out of the gazes of disappointment coming at me from all sides. I was way better than this. I shouldn't have gotten into that fight when I knew it would only make me look like less in the eyes of the clan.

Neither of us spoke to the other until we were at the trees near the Greenleaf Twolegplace. Before he growled at me to hurry up. That sparked an argument about how's fault it was. I didn't understand, we use to not be this bad together. He knew just what to say to make me angry.

"What are you talking about fish bait? You always start it and it's always your fault." I was angry but it didn't make the words any less true. He seemed to thrive off my anger and rage, so much so that if Breezepaw wasn't with us, fights like the kind that happened this morning would break out.

"I do not!" he yowled vehemently. My attention left the fight however, and turned towards the behind him. Something moved there, however Bengalpaw was growling and yowling. "Are you listening to me?!" He swatted at me, trying to hold my attention.

"Shush…" I told scanning the area.

"Don't 'shush' me, you fox dung she-cat." He yowled making his anger known not only to me but whatever was behind him.

"Bengalpaw shut up," I hissed softly to him in an attempt to silence him and to remain unseen, because I was sure whatever it was had already seen us.

"Why don't you…make… are you okay?" It seemed he finally saw the fear on my face, only it was far too late as the large male twoleg descended upon him. The twoleg grabbed Bengalpaw by his scruff pulling him up. I was terrified, but this was Breezepaw's brother, she was my best friend. I wouldn't let her lose her brother if I could help it. And if I was being honest, I would be doing the same thing if it had been any other cat, too. This was my clan mate and I had to help him. So I ran forward, sinking my claws into the twoleg's leg and pulled myself upward towards its arm.

The twoleg immediately let go of Bengalpaw who lied on the ground seemingly confused for a moment. "Run, mouse brain!" I yelled at him. He looked at me as I jumped down from the twoleg to the ground. He took off back towards camp, I would have been on his tail if the twoleg hadn't of leapt on top of me. Its sheer body weight pinned me underneath it. It yowled to something behind it when suddenly it was gone. I was being pulled into the air by this twoleg and dropped into a hard and dark place. I pushed on every side but could find no way out.

Soon it became hard to breathe. The air had seem to have gotten thinner. My head spun as I grew dizzy, and I laid down, closing my eyes.

Bengalpaw's POV

I ran until I stumbled over a root. "Yeah." I cried in victory. "Did you see that Shadowpaw. I am the tom. Those twolegs never knew what hit them." There was no reply. "Shadowpaw?" I turned to see I was alone. "This isn't funny." Still no answer came. "Fox dung!" Fear creeped up his spine as he raced back to the clearing the twoleg had attacked them. "Shadowpaw! Shadowpaw, where are you?" I heard a screech as the two twolegs walked away with a shaking box and they crossed into ShadowClan. There was only one thing he could think of and that was to get help. I raced back towards camp as fast as I could. A singular thought in my head.

 _'Shadowpaw you better hold on until I get there.'_

 **A/N:**

 ***Shadowpaw looking like the upset cat that she is* "I hate you. All of you. But especially you Bengalpaw."**

 ***Bengalpaw faking innocence* "What did I do?"**

 ***Ivyclaw comes in and swipes at his ear* "What do you mean 'What did I do'? Can you not read?"**

 ***Bengalpaw puffing up in anger* "No I can't I'm a cat."**

 ***Shadowpaw whispering to Ivyclaw* "It's because he's dumb."**

 ***Bengalpaw still puffed up* "I am not dumb!"**

 ***Breezepaw comes in stylishly* "It's okay everybody you just need to let the readers know to Read and Review. Oh wait I just did that. Never mind. Have a nice day and see you next Chapter."**


	6. Chapter 4: To The Rescue!

***Breezepaw sheepishly* "See two chapters in one week. Enjoy!"**

To The Rescue!

 _Breezepaw's POV_

"Shadowpaw has been captured!" my brother shouted as he ran through the dirt and reed weaved tunnel into camp. The fur on his tail and back stood up to twice its normal size and his paws shook with fear over what ever sent him running into camp. "We were seeing who could collect the most moss near the stream to the northwest of camp and then these twolegs came out of nowhere and they grabbed her. Well they grabbed me first and she fought them off until they let go of me. Then they grabbed her!" he rambled on.

"Wait Bengalpaw calm down," Mistyfoot soothed as she padded over to where he stood still shaking, "Now what happened to Shadowpaw?" No one twitched even a whisker and we all held our breath as we waited for his answer.

Bengalpaw took a deep calming breath suspending the moment even longer. "She was captured by twolegs while rescuing me." His dipped low as he whispered the last part.

"I'm sorry I think I have water in my ears," Ivyclaw laughed. Though his words were joking and he laughed through the sentence the burning in his deep green eyes and his tone proved to be fearsome. "It almost sounded like you said you let my apprentice get captured by twolegs saving your sorry tail." He pounded over to Bengalpaw with each word until finally he loomed over the cowering apprentice. "Now tell me kit that I heard wrong."

Bengalpaw stood his ground lifting his head to meet Ivyclaw's glare. "No you heard right. I am the reason Shadowpaw has gotten captured by twolegs."

"I didn't realize you needed to be watched over like a kit who has barely made it out of the nursery!" Ivyclaw spat through clenched teeth. Slowly the gray warrior bent his head to whisper in Bengalpaw's ear something that only they heard.

"This is what we get for allowing a kittypet to become an apprentice in the first place," came a protesting cry from the warriors den. I snapped my head towards the warriors den to see none other than Reedwhisker stepping out defiantly. "We should just let the twolegs keep her and avoid the trouble it would cause to go rescue her."

In a gray flash Ivyclaw was face to face with the sleek black tom. "What did you just say about my apprentice? The same apprentice whose worked her tail off trying to prove to you and the rest of this clan that she is just as good a apprentice as anyone else."

"She's hunted to feed this clan, shes gotten up before the sun rose to go on dawn patrol, or waited until the moon was high in the sky to go to sleep because the elders were complaining about their nest being uncomfortable just like any other member of this clan." I defended shooting a glare the black toms way.

"So tell me Reedwhisker what makes her so different that we need to 'avoid the trouble to rescue her'?" Ivyclaw hissed.

"We need a patrol to go get Shadowpaw because she is a member of this clan and that is what we would do if this were to happen to any one else," Mistyfoot said intercepting the two warriors and undoubtedly keeping a fight from breaking out. Ivyclaw smirked at the black tom receiving a glare in return from both Reedwhisker and Mistyfoot.

"I want to be on the patrol to find Shadowpaw," Bengalpaw called to Mistyfoot, "she got captured saving me so its only right."

"She's my apprentice so I should be the one going to rescue her not the mouse brain that got her captured in the first place," Ivyclaw said sternly. Bengalpaw didn't protest to being insulted knowing it was indeed his fault she had been captured. Yet he still stood defiantly holding his ground as Ivyclaw glared at him.

"I want to go as well," I called breaking the tension between the warrior and apprentice, "Shadowpaw is my best friend and I want to help find her and bring her back safe."

"Bengalpaw you'll go because you were the last one with her and can lead the patrol to where she was taken. Breezepaw you'll go since you're one of the best trackers we have and since Mudfoot is your mentor he will accompany you. Ivyclaw you'll lead the patrol since Shadowpaw is indeed your apprentice. Finally, Reedwhisker as punishment for your lack of respect for your fellow clan member you will go as well."

"I'm senior warrior shouldn't I lead the patrol?" Reedwhisker protested.

"As a senior warrior you should have had more respect for your clan mate to begin with," Mistyfoot stated sternly, "So you will go on the patrol and you will follow the orders Ivyclaw gives you because until you convince me other wise you barely deserve to be a warrior."

"As you wish," Reedwhisker muttered bowing his head under the authority his mother held as deputy.

"I hope you are all rested and have eaten because we leave immediately," Ivyclaw order the four of us.

I padded up to where my brother and now Ivyclaw stood by the tunnel leading into the marshy forest that surrounded RiverClan territory. "The sooner we get leaving the sooner we can find Shadowpaw," I mewed.

"Thank you Breezepaw," Ivyclaw murmured to me. I knew he was thanking me for defending Shadowpaw though he didn't need to. I bowed my head gruelingly, as thoughts of Shadowpaw ran through my head. She wasn't the nicest cat and she always had an extra sharp tongue; but she was great at taking care of the clan even if they didn't notice it. She always made sure the elders, queens, and kits were fed before she even thought of getting fresh-kill for herself. She checked the elders for ticks and made sure they had fresh moss for their nest without ever being asked. She was one of the first to come to the clan's defense whenever a cat from another clan made a hateful comment even though most of the clan still didn't really like her. It was only the pride of RiverClan that kept them from seeing what a wonderful cat she was and it was that same pride that gave Shadowpaw the determination to try to change the entire clan's mind about her.

"You don't need to thank me Ivyclaw," I smiled lifting my head to meet his eyes, "she's my best friend and I think its about time the clan got over the fact that she was once a kittypet."

"Some things are harder said than done," he replied disappointingly.

"Yes but if you of all cats can get over it and accept her as a full member of RiverClan then any one can," I laughed teasing the warrior for his former hatred of the apprentice in question.

"RiverClan pride is something to behold," he smiled, "I am sorry that I wasn't more forgiving of her origins in the beginning but I have come to realize what an amazing cat she truly is and I'm thankful that StarClan has allowed me to guide her paws down the path of a warrior."

"Are we going to sit around here chatting all evening or are we going to go rescue this apprentice," Reedwhisker hissed padding up to where we stood. Mudfoot followed closely behind taking his usual place by my side.

"Lets get moving then since everyone has now graced us with their presence," Ivyclaw ordered with a cruel glare towards the black warrior. Ivyclaw led the patrol out of the tunnel with Bengalpaw following closely behind. Mudfoot and I padded side by side with Reedwhisker on our tails as we followed the two toms out of the camp. I sent a quick prayer to StarClan hoping we would find Shadowpaw alive and well soon.

 _Bengalpaw's POV_

"This is where we were when the twolegs found us," I informed the gray warrior that glared down at me. We stood at the large pine tree that stood near the stream northwest from the RiverClan camp. I could still see the claw marks from where Shadowpaw and I had been gathering the moss that grew on the bark.

"Which way did you say they went?" Mudfoot asked softly. He seemed to be much more sympathetic towards me than Ivyclaw. Not that I blamed the warrior for being angry with me for getting his apprentice captured. In retrospect if I hadn't been yowling about having to be out there collecting moss and whose fault it was to began with neither of us would have been caught.

"They head north towards the greenleaf twoleg place." the light brown tom nodded at me before turning towards my sister.

"Breezepaw can you get a scent?" he asked her. Her cream and dirty white muzzle darkened in color as she blushed at her mentor's attention. She didn't speak instead lifting her nose high in the air an inhaling deeply.

"I've got her scent but it isn't very strong. Where ever the twolegs took her it isn't close to here," She informed the rest of the patrol.

"Then we better get a move on," Ivyclaw said heading towards the greenleaf twoleg place. We all followed closely behind in silence. Now that I no longer needed to lead the rest of the patrol to where Shadowpaw was taken I fell back until I matched paces with Breezepaw.

"You would think I got his mate captured," I muttered nodding towards the gray tabby leading the patrol.

"More like his kit," my sister laughed, "he is more protective than a queen with a newborn litter."

"Tell me about it. If we don't find her and return her safely he'll have my tail," I muttered grumpily.

"Is that what he said to you back at camp?" she asked curious. I could see through her curiosity and tell that she was really just concerned about my quarrel with the older tom. She was always looking after me. With our mother having left us to be raised in RiverClan we had to look out for each other but I always felt that she was more mature than I and took the task a little to seriously at times.

"Yes but he was honestly just worrying about Shadowpaw and not thinking logically," I comforted her.

"Well before he lays a claw on you he'll have to go through me," she jokingly stated. I roweled with laughter causing Ivyclaw to snap his head back to glare at me.

"Is something funny kit?" he hissed.

"Just a joke that was made about you," I shot back having grown tired of his attitude towards me. My fault or not it didn't change anything with him constantly snapping at me and it didn't help us find Shadowpaw any faster.

"I'm glad you find something funny when in fact we're out here because of your mouse brained foolishness. Its your fault we are out here at the edge of RiverClan territory past moon rise looking for the apprentice you caused to get captured by twolegs and taken StarClan knows where!" Ivyclaw snapped getting in my face.

"Ivyclaw getting angry at Bengalpaw isn't going to help the situation," Mudfoot said trying to sooth the riled warrior. Ivyclaw glared at Mudfoot thankfully turning his rage onto someone other than me. They stood staring each other down tension rising in the entire patrol. I tensed prepared to attempt to break up a fight if the two toms decided to start one. After many agonizingly long moments Ivyclaw turned back towards me

"You got lucky kit," Ivyclaw muttered before turning his back towards me and padding off.

 _I wouldn't have to get lucky if I hadn't let Shadowpaw get captured in the first place_ , I thought sinking back into my depression. I followed the warrior beating myself up about Shadowpaw. It wasn't until I felt a soft somewhat fluffy tail lay upon my shoulder that I momentarily ceased my self loathing.

"Look Bengalpaw it doesn't matter if it was your fault Shadowpaw got captured or not," my sister comforted, "all that matters is you're out here now trying to find her."

"What if we can't find her Breezepaw? What if she never comes back?" I closed my eyes trying not to think of life without the gray tabby ball of fire I had so come to admire.

"You like her don't you?" Breezepaw asked softly.

"What!? No I'm just worried about what Ivyclaw would do to me if we don't find her," I defended. I was thankful my red-brown fur kept the heat that was growing on my muzzle from showing. My sister's turquoise eyes bore into mine and saw right through my defense. She knew me too well to not be able to see through my lies.

"Bengalpaw I'm your sister and I notice when things are different with you," she stated with a small smile, "Like how you've been fighting with Shadowpaw a lot more recently or how you've been very defensive about showing even the slightest bit of concern for her."

"You're seeing things mouse-brain," I muttered bitterly, "there's no way I can even tolerate let alone like a cat like Shadowpaw. She always acts like she's better than everyone else and never has a nice thing to say to any cat aside from you."

"In case you've forgotten most of the clan seems to think she's still a no good kittypet even though she's proven otherwise. The only reason she acts like she's better is because she just as defensive about her emotions and letting cats in as you are. Any cat with a mouse's tail of sense can see she just wants to be accepted," She snapped defending her friend, "and you're not much better always challenging her to try to prove you're better and saying harsh things to her. All because really you're just as afraid as her that the clan will decide that they don't want kittypet blood running through their warriors and kick all three of us out." With that she turned tail and sulked back to Mudfoot leaving me alone with my thoughts.

"Breezepaw can you get any trace of her scent from here?" Ivyclaw asked oblivious to the lecture my sister just gave me. We stood at the edge of RiverClan territory near the small thunderpath that marked the beginning of ShadowClan's borders. Breezepaw padded to very edge of the greenleaf twoleg place taking extra care not to put a paw on the thunderpath and lifted her nose high in the air. She opened her muzzle slightly before she inhaled deeply shifting through all the scents that must be in the area.

"Ivyclaw this isn't good," she said after a long moment of sniffing, "I thought her scent ended at the thunderpath but then I caught a whiff of it coming from across the ShadowClan border." No one said anything as what she wasn't saying hung in the air like an omen. "Ivyclaw I think the twolegs took her to the twoleg place on ShadowClan territory."

 **A/N**

 ***Bengalpaw pacing nervously* "This isn't good."**

 ***Breezepaw trying to soothe her brother* "It'll be fine, we'll find her."**

 ***Ivyclaw menacingly tearing at the ground with his claws* "For his sake you better hope so."**

 ***Mudfoot interjecting* "Not now Ivyclaw. It wouldn't do any good anyway. Besides we have concerned readers to worry about."**

 ***Breezepaw sweetly* "We know you're writhing with concern for Shadowpaw but we'll do all we can we promise." *Muttering to herself* "I just hope we're not too late to save her." *Turning her attention back to the readers* "We love to see what you think of the story so far so please Review."**

 ***Reedwhisker closely beside Breezepaw* "With that being said we'll see you next week for the update. May StarClan light your path until then."**


	7. Chapter 5: Recruiting Help

Recruiting Help

 _Breezepaw's POV_

"Ivyclaw I think the twolegs took her to the twoleg place on ShadowClan territory."

I could hear the heartbeat of every member in our patrol momentarily cease in blind panic. If I was right that meant that not only would we have to get ShadowClan's permission to cross into their territory but we would also have to deal with the two hostel kittypets that resided in that twoleg place. Just dealing with ShadowClan would be enough to make any cat's fur stand on end. We all looked to Ivyclaw since he was the leader of this rescue mission.

"We'll stay here for the rest of the night and wait for the dawn patrol. Then we'll ask their permission to recover Shadowpaw from the twoleg nest," he ordered sensibly. "Everyone catch some fresh-kill if you wish, I doubt Blackstar would give us permission to hunt on his territory if any of our bellies should rumble, and get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." His order was met with a series of respectful nods before we broke up to either hunt or rest.

"Hey Breezepaw care to come hunt with me?" a smooth voice asked from behind me. I turned to see the sleek black pelt and dark gray eyes of Reedwhisker. My fur bristled at the audacity of his request.

"I'd rather not," I declined what I hoped was politely. I saw the hurt look in his gray eyes and a felt my chest tighten. I would normally jump at the chance to do any task with Reedwhisker but tonight I just couldn't bring myself to.

"Have I done something to upset you?" he asked softly staring at the ground beneath his paws. Torn between admitting the truth or sparing his feelings I nodded.

"Reedwhisker you admitted not only to me but to the entire clan that you don't at all care for Shadowpaw. She's my best friend and more than anything I wish the clan treated her better. You've shown me today that you can't look past where someone was born and see the cat they truly are. If all you see when you look at Shadowpaw is a kittypet what makes me and my brother any different?"

"Breezepaw you're so much more different than anyone else in all the clans. You're kind, wise, loyal, and beautiful. Just being near you makes me feel like a better cat. That's what you do, you make others feel better about themselves with your kindness and understanding. That makes you so much more different than Shadowpaw or anyone else," he responded. My cream muzzle felt like it was on fire. My turquoise eyes met his burning gaze and I was at a loss for breath.

"Reedwhisker that's so kind for you to say," I stuttered, "but my mother was a kittypet that sought refuge with RiverClan in order to peacefully have my brother and I. That makes me practically the same as Shadowpaw and if you can't respect her then you shouldn't be around me." I saw the hope that flared in his eyes falter. I felt his despair as if it were my own and it made me want to do no more than comfort him. But I did not regret my words and I would not change my mind. Until Reedwhisker learned more respect for those who weren't pure RiverClan I would not let the feelings that stirred in my chest for him develop anymore.

"Hey Breezepaw I've caught this huge fish," Mudfoot called from a short distance, "would you care to share it with me?" I looked between the two toms that I cared for so much not wanting to hurt either of them by looking as if I was favoring one and being cruel to the other. They were both some of my best friends aside from Shadowpaw and my brother and the last thing I wanted was for them to get jealous because of a misunderstanding.

"No," I replied remorsefully, "I'm not very hungry tonight." I solemnly padded off towards one of the two pine trees that sat near the small thunderpath that marked ShadowClan territory. There I lay with my head between my paws. The feeling of utter loneliness and despair that had engulfed me after my confrontation with Reedwhisker magnified tenfold now that I was actually alone. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't here the soft squish of the ground caving slightly under the weight of a cats paws coming from behind me.

"Breezepaw would you like to talk about it?" a kind voice asked snapping me out of my mental trance. I looked up from my paws to see the light and dark brown pelt of my mentor. Concern shown in his light green eyes.

"There's nothing really to talk about," I muttered. "I'm just worried about Shadowpaw," I half-lied. He raised the fur above one eye accomplishing a look of disbelief. I huffed stubbornly, "really."

"Breezepaw I am your mentor," he stated, "and more than that you are very important to me. So I don't appreciate your lying to me." I winced at his words. "Now will you tell me what, besides your friend having been captured, is bothering you?"

I sighed knowing I was going to have to admit my feelings one day. "It's what Reedwhisker said back at camp," I started, "It's just that what he said about Shadowpaw being a kittypet really got to me because my mother was one and that makes me one." I was startled as I heard a laugh eliminate from the brown warrior. I looked up angrily only to have that anger evaporate as I saw the amused yet concerned look that lit in his green eyes. "What's so funny," I muttered what I hope sounded somewhat angrily.

"Breezepaw even though your mother was a kittypet it doesn't mean that you are any less of a RiverClan cat. You were born into the clan and you have been raised and trained in the ways of a warrior just like the rest of us," he reasoned. "The same goes for Shadowpaw. Even though she spent the first six moons of her life as a kittypet she still turned that life away and is on the path to becoming a warrior just as any RiverClan apprentice would. I know a lot of the clan still hasn't gotten over her being a kittypet before she became an apprentice but they will soon enough." I smiled up at him taking comfort in his words as well as his presence. "All that matters is that you, your brother, and Shadowpaw are all training as hard as any clan born cat would and Leopardstar and Mistyfoot both see that. You will all make great warriors for the clan." He bent his neck giving me an affectionate lick between my ears.

"Thank you Mudfoot," I smiled. He met my grin giving me one that took my breath away in return.

"You don't have to thank me for showing you something you already knew in your heart," he responded. Then as suddenly as the mood had turned solemn it turned light and somewhat cheerful "I don't know about you but giving speeches are tiring," he joked playfully hitting my ear with his tail "I think its time we got some rest so we're ready to get Shadowpaw back in the morning." I nodded my agreement and curled into my tail. I felt Mudfoot settle down beside me and begin gently grooming my head. I suddenly realized how tired I actually was stretching my mouth wide with a yawn of pure exhaustion. I curled deeper into both my tail and Mudfoot until I was comfortable and warm. I let the heavy weight of exhaustion take over my body and lost myself in the warm comforting feeling of Mudfoot's rhythmic tongue strokes. Before I could twitch a whisker I was fast asleep dreaming of simple times hunting and training with my friends.

I felt a sharp prodding in my side as I sat sharing a huge juicy fish with my brother and Shadowpaw. "Bengalpaw stop poking me," I muttered irritably. The prodding sensation refused to go away as I tried to eat my portion of the fish in peace.

"I'm not doing anything to you," he shot back hotly.

"Well then who is the fish?" I retorted. My brother was always being mischievous and teasing me.

"I don't know maybe you made it angry," he joked. He stuck his tongue out like a kit earning a swipe on the ears from Shadowpaw.

"Stop being a mouse-brain," Shadowpaw ordered, "fish that are dead can't feel anything let alone be angry for someone eating it. Also if the fish was angry at anyone it would be at you for defiling it with your dirty muzzle." Bengalpaw glared at the tabby apprentice but dared not mutter a word. Satisfied she had put the red-brown apprentice in his place Shadowpaw returned to eating thing fish.

"You know Shadowpaw," I started getting the gray she-cats attention, "I had this strange dream that you had been captured by twolegs and Bengalpaw and I had to come rescue you with Ivyclaw, Reedwhisker, and Mudfoot."

"Oh that wasn't a dream," my best friend informed a surprised me, "and you need to wake up so you and this flee bag can actually come rescue me." I jolted upright snapping out of my dream and back into the waking world.

"It's about time you woke up," Bengalpaw said ceasing the abuse his paw was doing to my side, "the dawn patrol is almost here so we'll be able to cross the border soon." I sighed in relief. As soon as we got permission to cross ShadowClan territory we would be able to go rescue Shadowpaw. "Here eat this," Bengalpaw said pushing a half eaten fish towards me, "we won't have time to stop and hunt after we cross the border." I nodded and greedily sunk my teeth into the oily meat of the fish. I no sooner finished the fish and was cleaning the scales from my paws and muzzle did three ShadowClan cats near the border where our patrol sat. I recognized the dark ginger pelt of Russetfur- the ShadowClan deputy- the ginger pelt of Rowanclaw, and the tortoiseshell pelt and green eyes of Rowanclaw's mate Tawnypelt. Ivyclaw padded forward to meet them just over the border.

"That's close enough Ivyclaw," Russetfur mewed briskly, "what are you doing trespassing on ShadowClan territory?"

"We have come to request ShadowClan's permission to retrieve one of our apprentices that was taken by twolegs to the twoleg place on your territory," he said respectfully.

"Why should we help you?" Russetfur spat spitefully.

"Because if you don't StarClan help you because I won't care how many of you mangy crowfood eating excuse of warriors I have to go through to get her," he threatening menacingly. His reply was met with a series of hisses from the two ginger warriors making the fur along my back rise in fears of a fight.

"Rowanclaw, Russetfur I don't think now would be a good time to get into a fight with another clan," Tawnypelt soothed. With everything that had happened to ShadowClan these last few moons it was probably very risky for them to be fighting. At this realization the two remaining ShadowClan warriors backed down. I sighed relieved that we didn't have to fight.

"Fine we'll take you to Blackstar and let him decide whether or not we'll allow you to trot all over ShadowClan territory to rescue the apprentice that was mouse-brained enough to get herself captured," Russetfur sneered. Ivyclaw dipped his head, visibly gritting his teeth to keep from replying to Russetfur's antagonizing. The three ShadowClan cats turned their backs to us padding towards their camp. We followed in suit sticking close together in the unfamiliar territory. Thankfully we didn't have too long to go until we reached the small clearing in the pine trees that was the ShadowClan camp. We were met with hostile glares and a few low growls as we entered the camp. I cowered slightly into the fur of the nearest cat which so happened to be Reedwhisker. I was met with a comforting lick on the head and a tail stroking soothingly down my back. I took momentary peace in the comforting gestures before we were met with the angry yellow eyes of Blackstar.

"Russetfur why have you brought such a large RiverClan patrol into the camp?" he asked bitterly.

"They have requested audience with you Blackstar," she replied respectfully almost adoringly.

"Well you have it so get on with explaining why you're hear bothering my clan," he muttered to Ivyclaw.

Ivyclaw dipped his head again visibly irritated with the attitudes of the ShadowClan cats, "One of our apprentices was captured yesterday by twolegs and we believe she has been taken to the twoleg place on your territory."

"So you would like my permission to go snooping around ShadowClan territory?" Blackstar inferred interrupting Ivyclaw.

"Yes," Ivyclaw replied simply. Knowing how famous Ivyclaw was for his temper I was surprised he was taking talking to Blackstar and Russetfur so well focusing only on getting to Shadowpaw.

"If she is there then she is probably with StarClan by now," Blackstar stated matter-of-factually, "the two kittypets that reside there are not known for their tolerance of other cats."

"We won't even know if we can't go there to find out!" Ivyclaw finally snapped.

"You may go retrieve your apprentice's body if that is what you wish but I have conditions to be met first," Blackstar replied unfazed by the warrior's outburst. Ivyclaw sat his bobbed tail flicking back and forth unhappily. "Two of your warriors must stay in the ShadowClan camp while you are retrieving your apprentice."

"But that will put us down two warriors that we would need to fight off the kittypets in case they attack," Ivyclaw hissed jumping up in frustration.

"I and Rowanclaw will accompany you to replace the two warriors you will leave hear as well as to make sure you don't decide to tour ShadowClan territory once your apprentice is retrieved."

Ivyclaw's stub of a tail twitched once again but he only dipped his head in agreement. "Reedwhisker and Mudfoot you will stay behind in the camp," Ivyclaw ordered.

"Ivyclaw I have to object," Mudfoot said, "I don't feel comfortable leaving my apprentice to face two hostile kittypets alone."

"She won't be alone Mudfoot I'll make sure she stays unharmed," Ivyclaw reassured his friend. Mudfoot begrudgingly agreed then padded over to me. "Stay sharp and don't fight unnecessary battles and please for the love of StarClan come back to me," he whispered achingly. He nuzzled into the fur on the back of my neck making my chest pound until he reluctantly pulled away. He was met by a series of intense stares from our patrol and one harsh glare from an unhappy Reedwhisker.

"Don't worry Mudfoot," I laughed trying to ease the sudden tension, "I'll prove to you yet that I'm ready to be a warrior." He chuckled sending an intense heat onto my cream muzzle. He gave me a quick lick on my head and padded over to where Reedwhisker sat still glaring.

"If you and Rowanclaw are ready we can leave now," Ivyclaw said eager to get going. Blackstar nodded and took up the head of the patrol. The rest of us on the rescue party followed behind the air thick with tension and unspoken nervousness. Quickly we trotted through the thick pine forest to the twolegplace. No one spoke, no one had any words to say. Silently we trudged on, silently we made our way to go rescue my best friend, Ivyclaw's apprentice, and my brother's crush all of us wanting her back for so many different reasons and all of us wiling to risk our lives to do so. _'Don't worry Shadowpaw we're coming to get you.'_

 **A/N *Shadowpaw irritably from the twolegplace*** **"You think that you mouse-brains would've gotten me within two chapters."**

 ***Ivyclaw irritably* We didn't expect ShadowClan to be such flee pelts about us crossing the border."**

 ***Bengalpaw shocked* "Wait if you can talk to us here then you must be alright!"**

 ***Shadowpaw with a smirk* "Or maybe I'm dead and speaking to you from StarClan."**

 ***Breezepaw thinking out loud* "I don't think its that. I think that because we are in the author's note that the rules and regulations from the story world temporarily don't apply to us here."**

 ***Shadowpaw with a shrug* "Maybe or maybe not either way we need to acknowledge our wonderful readers and tell them to Read and Review so that UltimateKuranQueen and MelodyStarrWH don't feel like they are writing a horrible story."**

 ***Bengalpaw smirking at Shadowpaw* "Seems like you've already done that so now we don't have to."**

 ***Breezepaw smacking Bengalpaw's head with her tail* "Be nice," *to the readers* "please read and review and we will see you next week for the update."**


	8. Chapter 6: ShadowClan Kittypets

ShadowClan Kittypets

 _Shadowpaw's POV_

Light drifted through the open window to land on my fur warming it. It was so nice that at first I didn't remember why I had this feeling of dread in my stomach. Then in a flash I remembered the twolegs and screams. My body shot up on its own horror filling me.

"Bengalpaw!" I cried only to find myself alone laying on some strange fur, not unlike the fur I use to lay on when my twolegs had me. Looking around I saw those large soft things that my twolegs would all pile on top and many other things I didn't know the purpose. There was one thing I did know. I was in a twoleg nest and I knew there weren't any on our lands so that meant I was out away from home.

I pinned my ears back, a little afraid. I doubt anyone would look for me, so it was up to me to get back. However to do that I had to find where I was, which I couldn't do just laying here. So with as much courage as I could muster, I pulled myself up. Padding around the twoleg sitting thing, I looked to see three openings. They kinda looked the same so I guess I would just pick one.

The first one I picked smelled of burnt meat and strong smelling plants. The kind of plants that were often on grown by my old twolegs. This didn't go anywhere else so I chose to go through the other one. The second one I entered was open not a lot of two leg stuff to deal with so looked around when the smell wafted across my nose. The trees and water, I could smell fresh kill and if I listened I could hear a mouse running. Spinning so quickly I hit my face with my tail, I saw one of the transparent barriers open. This was my chance and I took it.

With a swiftness that would make a WindClan cat green with envy, I ran to the opening and lept. I was outside! I laughed out loud, crouching slightly letting my claws dig into the dirt. I was looking at the scratch marks in the dirt, when I heard it, or felt it more or less. Ivyclaw may have thought that he could sneak up on me every morning, granted sometimes he could, but I could normal feel a slight change in the air when someone was near almost like StarClan was warning me. I spun to come muzzle to muzzle with a huge black tom.

I shrank away from him when I felt something behind me, so I spun just enough to keep the black tom in my view. Behind me had been a she-cat a tabby grey color with white paws. Neither seemed friendly and both were advancing on me.

"Well, well, well." The she cat began with a very unpleasant tone in her softish voice. "Looks like a kit lost her way home." She smiled revealing every tooth she had.

"So it would seem Viper." The male cat's voice was harsher than anything. He turned his body to show a large scar on his right side.

"How about you two shut your well-fed mouse brained mouths." I hissed at them backing up but making sure to keep both of them in my view at all times, they stopped looking at me strangely. "I am a RiverClan cat. I will not be laughed at by the likes of you."

"Oh." Viper said smiling in that toothy way, casting looks at the tom. "Scar, she's one of those forest cats." This cat was just as intimidating as the tom, if not more so since all the tom was doing was standing back and letting his size intimidate for him. "It's so cute she thinks she can scare us. You're not much of a fighter at all are you sweetie." She stalked forward as if to pounce and I backed away the same amount she had come forward. It was a tactic Ivyclaw had shown me. Keep your enemy far enough away so if they chose to pounce you would have time to move.

"Look Viper the little kit is scared." Boomed the tom getting closer to me. "I bet she couldn't fight at all. Too bad really our housefolk will be so upset when they find her dead."

Both cats pounced at once as if they had some subtle signal that only they knew. Since they were coming from both sides I chose to dash forward letting the two of them collide. Using the second they were stunned, I pounced on them letting my claws dig into the she-cat's flank and the tom's ear, shredding it.

The tom's howl of pain reverberated around the clearing the twoleg's nest was in. The she-cat hissed, and brought her unsheathed claws down on my head. I raised my head slightly, so she only got the bottom part of both sides of my muzzle. I growled in pain launching myself at her. She rolled with me I ended up on my back with her on top of me. This was the worst possible position, she had full control because of my exposed belly.

She pulled her legs back to rack her back claws across my stomache. Just as she did I throw myself to the side knocking her off balance, leaving me to tower above her. My mistake was, as Ivyclaw would have scowled me for if he was here, I forgot about the tom. He had run to me at full speed knocking me over and grabbing the scruff of my neck.

"Whoa there young she-cat. I think Viper's had enough." He said his mouth full of my fur so the words came out slightly muffled. He let me down stepping back as if to make sure I wasn't going to attack. "That was quite good though, wasn't it Viper?"

The grey she-cat looking ruffled, growled her response. "I still could have taken her, Scar."

"I don't doubt it, but we weren't wanting to kill her. She's not like those other forest cats always coming here and killing things. Besides they have always been at an advantage three or four of them against us. She didn't have the backup, yet she didn't back down. I am impressed." Scar said with pride in his voice. I think. "We just wanted to see what the housefolk brought home, and she proved to be quite the treat." He laughed deeply.

"Yeah she's not too bad. I mean we called the fight and she is just sitting there, the confused little kit." She teased, reminding me of a certain mentor of mine. I think I liked her already. "What's your name kit?"

"It's not kit. I'm an apprentice. The name's Shadowpaw, at least for now." I told her sitting with my tail around my paws. "What did you mean other forest cats? What are they called?"

"Um they are called Dark group. No that's not right." Scar said looking up towards StarClan as if they had the answer and would just lay them at his paws.

"No Scar its Dark Clan." Viper said confidently.

"No it isn't its Death Clan." Scar said and then paused. "No it's not that either."

I busted out laughing. "Are you talking about ShadowClan?"

"That's what it is ShadowClan!" Scar pointed his paw at me to emphasize his point. "I was close."

"How is Death Clan anywhere near close to ShadowClan, you dog brain." Viper snapped at him. I, however, was rolling in laughter. Oh would ShadowClan die if they heard this.

"Do you think she is going to be okay?" Viper asked Scar.

"I don't know. Maybe it's a forest cat thing. You know not all of those 'ShadowClan' cats are not the most intelligent."

"I'm fine." I told them gruffly. "And I told you I'm a RiverClan cat, so don't confuse me with ShadowClan."  
"Well we haven't met any RiverClan cats so how were we suppose to know?" Scar said. "So are RiverClan cats any better than these cats?"

"Well all the clans have some kind of thing that are unsavory. Like ShadowClan is the least friendly probably. Not that I really blame them from what I've heard they always get the land that isn't as good. WindClan, I hear, is always needing help. ThunderClan is I guess you would say the clan that thinks they are better than everyone else. I mean I guess all the clans do that but ThunderClan expects all the clans to be like them, really accepting. I mean that's all well and good, but not everyone can live that way." I said.

"You didn't talk about RiverClan." Viper said, with a hard look. "Do they have no flaws since you're in it?"

"StarClan no. I guess if ThunderClan is the most open, RiverClan is the most closed. I've been in RiverClan for seasons now and I still feel as unwelcomed as the day I arrived. Yeah some have accepted me, the elders, they're the older cats that can't fight anymore. The clan leader and deputy, I think they like me. And Ivyclaw, he's my teacher. He's really amazing, he taught me how to fight that way." I smiled.

"Aw, isn't that cute. She has a crush on teacher." Viper said smiling.

I scoffed at her. "Unlikely. I just really admire him. He may not have like me at first, but now that he does, he takes every effort to make sure I am good. No one else does that for me. My best friend Breezepaw and her annoyance of a brother are okay. She sticks up for me sometimes. But that just makes me feel like I'm bring her down with me sometimes. I'm selfish with her though. It would be better if she wasn't my friend, but I don't think I would have been able to do a lot of this without her." I told them, realizing I was spilling my guts to some strange cats. "I don't even know why I'm tell you this. Your cats I don't know."

"It's probably because you don't know us and we don't know anything about clan life." Scar said. "No judgement. We can't judge you because we don't know everything. But it sounds like you've been holding this in for a while. You probably didn't tell your friend because you didn't want to look weak or needy."

Viper gave the tom an odd look. "What are you some gossiping she-cat? You sound like my mother."

The tom spluttered and stammered. But I looked at the two of them. These were the fierce kittypets that ShadowClan feared. I could see it at the beginning, when they attacked be and from what they said, they weren't trying to hurt me. But it was sort of funny to see them bantering back and forth like Ivyclaw and I do sometimes.

"So are you siblings?" I asked making both cats turn and laugh at me.

"No little Shadow," Scar said, rolling his eyes as if it should have been obvious. "We're…"

"This lazy, gossiping she-cat is my mate." Viper mewled with mirth.

"Now, Viper that is uncalled for." Scar said with a growl. "I may gossip, slightly. But I am neither lazy, nor am I a she-cat."

"Could have fooled me." Viper huffed. "So Shadowpaw tell us more about your RiverClan. Or just the clans in general. It's really fascinating." She sounded sincere.

"Well there are four clans they surround the lake. There is ThunderClan, on its side is WindClan, beside that is a twoleg place and beside that is RiverClan. The area you live in is ShadowClan territory. No clan cats are allowed to cross clan territories, which is why you've never seen a RiverClan cat. And it's going to cost a lot of trouble for me to go home." I sighed. "I don't know a lot about the thing other clans do. I do know WindClan has fast runners, because they chase rabbits and live in the plains. ThunderClan has good climbers because they live in an area full of birds and squirrels. I guess ShadowClan would have strong warriors to protect the food they do get. But RiverClan has the best swimmers, because we catch fish."

"Wait, you go swimming? Doesn't your long fur get in the way?" Viper said horrified as if the thought of being surrounded by water was so terrible. But I guess that I was like that when I first was introduced to it.

"It is one of the reason, I think I am not as accepted I've had to learn ways around having to swim with long fur. It wasn't easy. It's a lot of work, my fur weighs me down so I have to be stronger than many of the other RiverClan cats, but it's not so bad."

"You're right. It sounds terrible. But I guess if that's how you want to live, you must like it a lot." Scar nodded.

"I do." I told them. "I really just want to go home." I knew I sounded like a whiney kit, but I was at a loss for what to do. I wanted to go home, but I didn't want to start a fight between ShadowClan and RiverClan. What was I supposed to do? Did anyone really want me back?

"You know you could stay here if you wanted." Viper said softly.

I could do that but it wouldn't be the same wouldn't ever feel right. I needed to be home with RiverClan.

 **A/N *Viper looking confusingly at the chapter* "What is this?!"**

 ***Scar with a know-it-all attitude* "It is clearly a thing."**

 ***Viper irritably* "You're such a dog brain."**

 ***Shadowpaw intercepting* "This is the Author's Note. It's where we remind people to read and review our story and give them updates and insight on the overall personalities and development of the characters, AKA us, in the story."**

 ***Bengalpaw popping in unexpectedly* "Wow Shadowpaw I don't think I've heard you talk this much before." *gets slapped by Shadowpaw* "Yeesh fine just commenting. Anyway read and review our readers and don't forget to check out the two new polls pertaining to this story on MelodyStarrWH's page."**


	9. Chapter 7: Arrival of The Calvary

**A/N So our apologies for being a little late, we were having problems with our interwebs. But we hope you enjoy this chapter and may StarClan light your path**

Arrival of the cavalry

 _Shadowpaw's POV_

It had been an entire day since I had been captured and I was no closer to even thinking of getting back than I had been, when I woke. Viper and Scar insisted that I stay if I wanted to, but I didn't want to. I wanted the cold water of the river and the warm sun that wasn't blocked by the trees. I wanted to hear the warriors critique me. I wanted to feel Ivyclaw's assault in the mornings and Breezepaw's chastising remark. StarClan! At this point I wanted to hear Bengalpaw's rude comments, if only I could make it back to RiverClan.

"It's not so bad here little Shadow." The large black tom told me grooming my left ear as he laid a heavy paw across my back. If I closed my eyes and imagined the tongue a little rougher, it was almost as if I were still back at camp. "The housefolk don't bother us much. And we always have a dry place to sleep. You will be accepted by us."

"I can't." I told the tom, turning my head away. "I have to get back to RiverClan. Why do you want me to stay so much?"

"Mostly… It's been a while since we had the chance to see any other cats that weren't trying to kill us." He said. "And Viper, too. She may not say it but she is a she-cat. She likes to talk to others, not like we can do that out here. Too many of your ShadowClan cats."

I smiled at him. "So you're telling me that Viper wants to sit around and gossip all day? I thought that was you."

His large paw came down on my head gently, as a warning. "Alright little Shadow, I can tell you've been around Viper for far too long."

"Or she just hasn't been around me enough." Viper called from the outer portion of the twoleg's nest. "And are you really going to complain? It's my attitude that you love so much, now it's doubled."

"Or it just might kill me." Scar mumbled softly into my ear, causing me to chuckle. It was nice to be able to talk to these cats and not have to worry about what they say behind my back. Not to have to walk into a conversation between warriors about my heritage. As if I didn't already know. But I also wanted to be there to watch Ivyclaw put those warriors 'in their places, the fox dungs.'

"You both realize why I can't stay, right?" I asked them. "I made myself a promise, and shouted it to the clan leader."

"She promised to be the best." I jumped, spinning to see my mentor glaring at the larger male who laid beside me. Scar leap to his paws, growling and spitting. Beside him were Breezepaw and Bengalpaw. And in front of him was a cat I knew, but had never spoken to. It was the leader of ShadowClan.

"Scar, calm down. This is my mentor, Ivyclaw." I pointed my tail to him then gestured to the siblings beside him. "My best friend, Breezepaw, and her annoyance of a brother, Bengalpaw. They are my clan members. Remember how I told you about RiverClan." I glanced at the leader. "This one, however," I replied icily. "is not. My guess is that my clan appealed to ShadowClan, and naturally Blackstar didn't trust the clan, so decided to come with them himself."

"You are correct, kit." Blackstar nodded. "I assumed that you would need rescuing."

"I'm not a kit, you flea-bitten mouse brain. And I don't need rescuing from anyone." I hissed. "And just so you know my name is Shadowpaw. Remember it because one day you'll hear it and know I am going to be the best warrior in RiverClan."

He looked at me for a second, before laughing. "You are a spirited one Shadowpaw." He grinned, and it was almost frightening. "You don't belong in RiverClan with courage like that, you can have a spot as a warrior in ShadowClan. You came out alive from these kittypets." He snarled at Viper and Scar, the former had sped to her mate's side and stood in a tense, but almost casual stance.

"Oh, yes because a cat like her belongs with a dog brain such as yourself." She hissed, ears laid back, the only sign that she wasn't completely confident in her own paws, at this moment.

"Watch yourself, kittypet, I can still gut you where you stand. I know you were hunting on our lands again, the only thing saving you now, is the fact that I have to watch these cats," he jabbed his tail accusingly at my clan mates.

Ivyclaw snarled at Blackstar. "She's my apprentice, she belongs with RiverClan." He stalked forward for a few steps only for a dark ginger cat to get into his path blocking him from the ShadowClan leader.

"You seem to be very attached to her." The ginger said harshly.

"I am, and if you insist on taking her from me, then I will kill each cat that stands in my way." I had never seen Ivyclaw look like that, like even StarClan couldn't stop him from what he had just vowed.

"We'll help him, too." Breezepaw growled, a very rare occurrence and one to be feared. She had pulled Bengalpaw to step up with her.

"Stop!" I told them getting between the ginger and my mentor. "The offer is kind, Blackstar. But I am a RiverClan cat and that's where I belong." I told him, looking at my mentor nodding. "It's where I am needed, since they are sending cats to come get me."

Blackstar looked from my mentor to me. "I see. Well, when you get sick of these RiverClan cats, just know ShadowClan will be here." I nodded then turned to my mentor. He was glaring over me at the other cat. "Hey, Ivyclaw. You're not so bad." I grinned at him and he looked at me odd almost concerned. "You know for a she-cat."

"For a moment, I was concerned that we were getting the wrong cat. But I can see now we have the right cat, just as sharp-tonged as ever." He was grinning, hitting me softly with his tail. If I had been looking at anyone, but my mentor, maybe I would have seen Viper and Scar share a look, however fleeting due to the fact that ShadowClan was here.

"Well if all of you are ready." Blackstar announced. "We will be going."

No sooner than he had said that, Breezepaw rushed to me, purring and wrapping herself around me. "Get off of me you mouse-brained creature!" I hissed fighting to get free.

"Little Shadow!" Scar yelled from the clearing. I turned to see what he was yelling about, he was grinning. "If you ever need help, we are here. You know if you can get past those forest cats. Of course I would help you strictly for you beautiful self."

Ivyclaw hissed at him. "Leave my apprentice alone. She has her clan to help her."

"The offer still stands Little Shadow." He chuckled.

I smiled, turning only to run into a scowling Ivyclaw. "What?" He said nothing just walking away. I looked after him before running after his retreating form in silence.

 **A/N:**

 ***Breezepaw to Shadowpaw* "Well that was uneventful."**

" **Uneventful? I was captured then everyone was trying to get me to join them. How is that uneventful?"**

 ***Bengalpaw grouchily* "Because there was no fight. How are we supposed to get our warrior names now?"**

 ***Ivyclaw ferociously* "YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOUR WARRIOR NAME AFTER YOU LET MY APPRENTICE GET CAPTURED IN THE FIRST PLACE!?"**

 ***Breezepaw soothingly* "Ivyclaw calm down think about the readers." *To the readers* "Well obviously Read and Review pretty please, and check out the polls on MelodyStarrWH's page. Until Saturday then. Have a nice day."**


	10. Temporary Set Back Apology

Hi, Breezeheart here. UltimateKuranQueen and I would like to apologize severally for the huge delays in this story. We have lost our inspiration. Fear not though fellow warriors for we will definitely continue Looming Shadows as soon as we can. Sorry for not having this posted sooner. We had no internet and A LOT of at home problems. We're sorry and we promise we'll be back with this story soon.


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